ASCOMYCETES--SPORE-SAC FUNGI.
Ascomycetes is from two Greek words: _ascos_, a sack; _mycetes_, a
fungus or mushroom. All the fungi which belong to this class develop
their spores in small membranous sacs. These asci are crowded together
side by side, and with them are slender empty asci called paraphyses.
The spores are inclosed in these sacs, usually eight in a sac. They are
called sporidia to separate them from the Basidiomycetes. These sacs
arise from a naked or inclosed stratum of fructifying cells, forming a
hymenium or nucleus.
FAMILY--HELVELLACEAE.
Hymenium at length more or less exposed, the substance soft. The genera
are distinguished from the earth-tongues by the cup-like forms of the
spore body, but especially by the character of the spore sacs which open
by a small lid, instead of spores. The following are some of the genera:
Morchella Pileus deeply folded and pitted.
Gyromitra Pileus covered with rounded and variously contorted folds.
Helvella Pileus drooping, irregularly waved and lobed.
_Morchella. Dill._
Morchella is from a Greek word meaning a mushroom. This genus is easily
recognized. It may be known by the deeply pitted, and often elongated,
naked head, the depressions being usually regular but sometimes
resembling mere furrows with wrinkled interspaces. The cap or head
varies in form from rounded to ovate or cone shape. They are all marked
by deep pits, covering the entire surface, separated by ridges forming a
net-work. The spore-sacs are developed in both ridges and depressions.
All the species when young are of a buff-yellow tinged with brown. The
stems are stout and hollow, white, or whitish in color.
The common name is Morel, and they appear during wet weather early in
the spring.
_Morchella esculenta. Pers._
THE COMMON MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 409.--Morchella esculenta. Two-thirds natural
size.]
The Common Morel has a cap a little longer than broad, so that it is
almost oval in outline. Sometimes it is nearly round but again it is
often slightly narrowed in its upper half, though not pointed or
cone-like. The pits in its surface are more nearly round than in the
other species. In this species the pits are irregularly arranged so that
they do not form rows, as will be observed in Figure 409.
It grows from two to four inches high and is known by most people as the
Sponge mushroom. It grows in woods and wood borders, especially beside
wood streams. Old apple and peach orchards are favorite places for
Morels. It makes no difference if the beginner cannot identify the
species, as they are all equally good. I have seen collectors have for
sale a bushel basketful, in which half a dozen species were represented.
They dry very easily and can be kept for winter use. It is said to grow
in great profusion over burnt districts. The German peasants were
reputed to have burned forest tracts to insure an abundant crop. I find
that more people know the Morels than any other mushroom. They are found
through April and May, after warm rains.
_Morchella deliciosa. Fr._
THE DELICIOUS MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 410.--Morchella deliciosa. Two-thirds natural
size.]
This and the preceding species would indicate by their names that they
have been held in high esteem for a long time, as Profs. Persoon and
Fries, who named them, lived more than a hundred years ago. The
Delicious Morel is recognized by the shape of its cap, which is
generally cylindrical, sometimes pointed, and slightly curved. The stem
is rather short and, like the stem of all Morels, is hollow from the top
to the bottom.
It is found associated with other species of Morels, in woods and wood
borders, also in old apple and peach orchards. They need to be cooked
slowly and long. Coming early in the spring, they are not likely to be
infested with worms. The flesh is rather fragile and not very watery.
They are easily dried. Found through April and May.
_Morchella esculenta var. conica. Pers._
THE CONICAL MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Plate LII. Figure 411.--Morchella esculenta var. conica.]
The Conical Morel is very closely related to M. esculenta and M.
deliciosa, from which it differs in having the cap longer than it is
wide, and more pointed, so that it is conical or oblong-conical. The
plant, as a general thing, grows to be larger than the other species.
It is, however, pretty hard to distinguish these three species. The
Conical Morel is quite abundant about Chillicothe. I have found Morels
especially plentiful about the reservoirs in Mercer County, and in
Auglaize, Allen, Harden, Hancock, Wood and Henry Counties. I have known
lovers of Morels to go on camping tours in the woods about the
reservoirs for the purpose of hunting them, and to bring home large
quantities of them.
[Illustration: Figure 412.--Morchella esculenta var. conica. Two-thirds
natural size.]
_Morchella angusticeps. Pk._
THE NARROW-CAP MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 413.--Morchella angusticeps.]
Angusticeps is from two Latin words: _angustus_, narrow; _caput_, head.
This species and M. conica are so nearly alike that it is very difficult
to identify them with any degree of satisfaction. In both species the
cap is considerably longer than broad, but in angusticeps the cap is
slimmer and more pointed. The pits, as a general thing are longer than
in the other species. They are often found in orchards but are also
frequently found in low woods under black ash trees. I have found some
typical specimens about the reservoirs. The specimens in Figure 413
were collected in Michigan, and photographed by Prof. B. O. Longyear.
They appear very early in the spring, even while we are still having
frosts.
_Morchella semilibera. D. C._
THE HYBRID MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 414.--Morchella semilibera. One-half natural
size.]
Semilibera means half free, and it is so called because the cap is
bell-shaped and the lower half is free from the stem. The cap is rarely
more than one inch long, and is usually much shorter than the stem, as
is indicated in Figure 414. The pits on the cap are longer than broad.
The stem is white or whitish and somewhat mealy or scurvy, hollow, and
often swollen at the base. I found the specimens in Figure 414 about the
last of May under elm trees, in James Dunlap's woods. They are quite
plentiful there. I do not detect any difference in the flavor of these
and other species.
_Morchella bispora. Sor._
THE TWO-SPORED MOREL. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 415.--Morchella bispora. One-half natural size.]
[Illustration: Plate LIII. Figure 416.--Morchella bispora.
The two-spored Morel. Edible. Showing the cap free from the stem quite
to the top.]
Bispora, two-spored, differs from the other species in the fact that the
cap is free from the stem quite to the top. The distinguishing
characteristic, which gives name to the species, can be seen only by the
aid of a strong microscope. In this species there are only two spores in
each ascus or sac, and these are much larger than in the other species,
which have eight spores in a sac or ascus. The ridges, as will be seen
in Figure 415, run from the top to the bottom. The stem is much longer
than the cap, hollow, and sometimes swollen at the base. The whole plant
is fragile and very tender. The plants in Figure 415 were collected in
Michigan by Prof. Longyear. Those in the full page display were found
near Columbus and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. It seems to have a
wide range, but is nowhere very plentiful.
The spores can be readily obtained from morels by taking a mature
specimen and placing it on white paper under a glass for a few hours.
The beginner will find much difficulty in identifying the species of
Morels; but if he is collecting them for food he need not give the
matter any thought, since none need be avoided, and they are so
characteristic that no one need be afraid to gather them.
_Morchella crassipes. Pers._
THE GIGANTIC MOREL. EDIBLE.
Crassipes is from _crassus_, thick; _pes_, foot.
The cap resembles the cap of M. esculenta in its form and irregular
pitting, but it is quite a little larger. The stem is very stout, much
longer than the pileus, often very much wrinkled and folded. I have
found only a few specimens of this species. Found in April and May.
_Verpa. Swartz._
Verpa means a rod. Ascospore smooth or slightly wrinkled, free from the
sides of the stem, attached at the tip of the stem, bell-shaped, thin;
hymenium covering the entire surface of the ascospore; asci cylindrical,
8-spored. The spores are elliptical, hyaline; paraphyses septate.
The stem is inflated, stuffed, rather long, tapering downward.
_Verpa digitaliformis. Pers._
[Illustration: Figure 417.--Verpa digitaliformis.]
Digitaliformis is from _digitus_, a finger, and _forma_, a form.
The pileus is bell-shaped, attached to the tip of the stem, but
otherwise free from it; olive-umber in color; smooth, thin, closely
pressed to the stem, but always free; the edge sometimes inflexed.
The stem is three inches high, tapering downward, furnished at the base
with reddish radicels; white, with a reddish tinge; apparently smooth,
but under the glass quite scaly; loosely stuffed. The asci are large,
8-spored, the spores being elliptical. The paraphyses are slender and
septate.
Figure 417 represents several plants, natural size. The one in the
righthand corner is old, with a ragged pileus; the vertical section
shows the pithy contents of the stem. The plants are found in cool,
moist, and shady ravines from May to August. Edible, but not very good.
_Gyromitra. Fr._
Gyromitra is from _gyro_, to turn; _mitra_, a hat or bonnet. This genus
is so called because the plants look like a hood that is much wrinkled
or plaited.
Ascophore stipitate; hymenophore subglobose, inflated and more or less
hollow or cavernous, variously gyrose and convolute at the surface,
which is everywhere covered with the hymenium; substance fleshy; asci
cylindrical, 8-spored; spores uniseriate, elongated, hyaline or nearly
so, continuous; paraphyses present. _Massee._
_Gyromitra esculenta. Fr._
[Illustration: Plate LIV. Figure 418.--Gyromitra esculenta.]
Esculenta means edible. This is the largest spore-sac fungus. The
original name was Helvella esculenta. It is bay-red, round, wrinkled or
convoluted, attached to the stem, irregular, with brain-like
convolutions.
The stem is hollow when mature, often very much deformed, whitish,
scurvy, frequently enlarged or swollen at the base, sometimes lacunose,
frequently attenuated upward, at first stuffed; asci cylindrical, apex
obtuse, base attenuated, 8-spored; spores obliquely uniseriate, hyaline,
smooth, continuous, elliptical, 17-25x9-11u; paraphases numerous.
This plant will be readily recognized from Figure 418, and its bay-red
or chestnut-red cap with its brain-like convolutions. The books speak of
its being found in pine regions, but I have found it frequently in the
woods near Bowling Green, Sidney, and Chillicothe. Many authors give
this plant a bad reputation, yet I have eaten it often and when it is
well prepared it is good. I should advise caution in its use. It is
found in damp sandy woods during May and June. The plant in Figure 418
was found near Chillicothe.
_Gyromitra brunnea. Underwood._
THE BROWN GYROMITRA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 419.--Gyromitra brunnea.]
Brunnea is from _brunneus_, brown. A stout, fleshy plant, stipitate,
three to five inches high, bearing a broad, much contorted, brown
ascoma. Stem is 0.75 to 1.5 inch thick, more or less enlarged and spongy,
solid at the base, hollow below, rarely slightly fluted, clear white;
receptacle two to four inches across in the widest direction, the two
diameters usually more or less unequal, irregularly lobed and plicate;
in places faintly marked into areas by indistinct anastomosing ridges;
closely cohering with the stem in the various parts; color a rich
chocolate-brown or somewhat lighter if much covered with the leaves
among which it grows; whitish underneath; asci 8-spored. Spores oval.
This plant is found quite frequently about Bowling Green. The land is
very rich there and produced both G. esculenta and G. brunnea in greater
abundance than I have found elsewhere in the state. It is quite tender
and fragile. The specimen in Figure 419 was found near Cincinnati and
photographed by Mr. C. G. Lloyd.
_Helvella elastica. Bull._
THE PEZIZA-LIKE HELVELLA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 420.--Helvella elastica.]
Elastica means elastic, referring to its stem. The pileus is free from
the stem, drooping, two to three lobed, center depressed, even, whitish,
brownish, or sooty, almost smooth underneath, about 2 cm. broad.
The stem is two to three and a half inches high, and three to five lines
thick at the inflated base; tapering upward, elastic, smooth, or often
more or less pitted; colored like the pileus, minutely velvety or
furfuraceous; at first solid, then hollow. Spores hyaline, continuous,
elliptical, ends obtuse, often 1-guttulate, 18-20x10-11; 1-serrate;
paraphyses septate, clavate. _Massee._
The plants in the figure were found near Columbus and photographed by
Dr. Kellerman. I have not found the plant as far south as Chillicothe,
though I found it frequently in the northern part of the state. It grows
in the woods on leaf-mould.
_Helvella lacunosa. Afz._
THE CINEREOUS HELVELLA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 421.--Helvella lacunosa.]
Lacunosa, full of pits or pitted. This is a beautiful plant, very
closely related to the Morchellas.
The pileus is inflated, lobed, cinereous black, lobes deflected, adnate.
The stem is hollow, white or dusky, exterior ribbed, forming intervening
cavities.
The asci are cylindrical, and stemmed. The sporidia are ovate and
hyaline.
The deep longitudinal grooves in the stem are characteristic of this
species. The plants from which the halftone was made were collected near
Sandusky and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. They grow in moist woods. I
found the plants frequently in the woods near Bowling Green and
occasionally about Chillicothe, growing about well-decayed stumps.
_Hypomyces. Tul._
Hypomyces means upon a mushroom. It is parasitic on fungi. Mycelium
byssoid; perithecia small; asci 8-spored.
_Hypomyces lactifluorum. Schw._
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 422.--Hypomyces lactifluorum. The entire plant is a bright
yellow. Natural size.]
Lactifluorum means milk-flowing. It is parasitic on Lactarius, probably
piperatus, as this species surrounded it. It seems to have the power to
change the color into an orange-red mass, in many cases entirely
obliterating the gills of the host-species, as will be seen in Figure
422.
The asci are long and slender. The sporidia are in one row,
spindle-shaped, straight or slightly curved, rough, hyaline, uniseptic,
cuspidate, pointed at the ends, 30-38x6-8u.
This very closely resembles Hypomyces aurantius, but the sporidia are
larger, rough and warted and the felt-like mycelium at the base is
wanting.
It occurs in various colors, orange, red, white, and purple. It is not
plentiful, occurring only occasionally. Capt. McIlvaine says, "When it
is well cooked in small pieces it is among the best." It is found from
July to October.
_Leptoglossum luteum. (Pk.) Sac._
[Illustration: Figure 423.--Leptoglossum luteum.]
Leptoglossum is from two Greek words, meaning thin, delicate, and
tongue; luteum means yellowish.
The club is distinct from the stem, smooth, compressed, generally with a
groove on one side; luteous, often becoming brown at the tip or apex.
The stem is equal or slightly enlarged above, stuffed, luteous, minutely
scaly.
The spores are oblong, slightly curved, in a double row, 1-1000 to 1-800
inch long. _Peck._
These are found quite frequently among moss, or where an old log has
rotted down, on the north hillsides about Chillicothe. The plants were
first described by Dr. Peck as "Geoglossum luteum," but afterwards
called by Saccardo "Leptoglossum luteum." The plants in Figure 423 were
found in August or September, on Ralston's Run, near Chillicothe, and
were photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
_Spathularia. Pers._
This is a very interesting genus, and one that will attract the
attention of any one at first sight. It grows in the form of a spathula,
from which it receives its generic name. The spore-body is flattened and
grows down on both sides of the stem, tapering downward.
_Spathularia flavida. Pers._
THE YELLOW SPATHULARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 424.--Spathularia flavida.]
The spore body is a clear yellow, sometimes tinged with red, shaped like
a spathula, the apex blunt, sometimes slightly cleft, the surface wavy,
somewhat crisp, growing down the stem on opposite sides further than V.
velutipes.
The stem is thick, hollow, white, then tinged with yellow, slightly
compressed; asci clavate, apex somewhat pointed, 8-spored; spores
arranged in parallel fascicles, hyaline, linear-clavate, usually very
slightly bent, 50-60x3.5-4u; paraphyses filiform, septate, often
branched, tips not thickened, wavy. While this is a beautiful plant it
is not common. Found in August and September.
_Spathularia velutipes. C. & F._
VELVET-FOOT SPATHULARIA. EDIBLE.
Velutipes is from _velutum_, velvet; _pes_, foot.
The spore body is flattened, shaped like a spathula, spore surface wavy,
growing on the opposite sides of the upper part of the stem,
tawny-yellow. The stem is hollow, minutely downy or velvety, dark brown
tinged with yellow. It will dry quite as well as Morchella. It is found
in damp woods on mossy logs. It is not a common plant. Found in August
and September.
_Leotia. Hill._
Receptacle pileate. Pileus orbicular, margin involute, free from the
stem, smooth, hymenium covering upper surface.
The stem is hollow, central, rather long, continuous with pileus; the
whole plant greenish-yellow.
Asci club-shaped, pointed, 8-spored. The spores are elliptical and
hyaline. The paraphyses are present, usually slender and round.
_Leotia lubrica. Pers._
[Illustration: Figure 425.--Leotia lubrica.]
Lubrica means slippery; so called because the plants are usually slimy.
The pileus is irregularly hemispherical, somewhat wrinkled, inflated,
wavy, margin obtuse, free from the stem, yellowish olive-green,
tremelloid.
The stem is one to three inches long, nearly equal, hollow, and
continuous with the cap; greenish-yellow, covered with small white
granules.
The asci are cylindrical, slightly pointed at the apex, 8-spored. The
spores are oblong, hyaline, smooth, sometimes slightly curved,
22-25x5u. The paraphyses are slender, round, hyaline.
The plants are gregarious and grow among moss or among leaves in the
woods. This species is quite plentiful about Chillicothe. It is
distinguished from Leotia chlorocephala by the color of its stem and
cap. The color of the latter is green or dark green. They are found from
July to frost. They are edible but not choice.
_Leotia chlorocephala. Schw._
[Illustration: Figure 426.--Leotia chlorocephala.]
Chlorocephala means green head. However, the entire plant is green.
They grow in clusters, pileus round, depressed, somewhat translucent,
more or less waxy, margin incurved, dark-verdigris-green, sometimes
rather dark-green.
The stem is rather short, almost equal; green, but often paler than the
cap, covered with fine powdery dust, often twisted.
Asci cylindric-clavate, apex rather narrowed, 8-spored, spores smooth,
hyaline, ends acute, often slightly curved, 17-20x5u.
The specimens in Figure 426 were found in Purgatory Swamp, near Boston,
by Mrs. Blackford. Both cap and stem were a deep verdigris-green. They
were sent to me during the warm weather of August.
_Peziza. Linn._
Peziza means stalkless mushroom. This is a large genus of discomycetous
fungi in which the hymenium lines the cavity of a fleshy membranous or
waxy cup. They are attached to the ground, decaying wood, or other
substances, by the center, though sometimes they are distinctly stalked.
They are often beautifully colored and are called fairy cups, blood
cups, and cup fungi. They are all cup-or saucer-shaped; externally
warted, scurvy or smooth; asci cylindrical, 8-spored. The genus is
large. Prof. Peck reports 150 species. Found early in spring till early
winter.
_Peziza acetabulum. Linn._
RETICULATED PEZIZA. EDIBLE.
Acetabulum, a small cup or vinegar cup. The spore-bearing body
stipitate, cup-shaped, dingy, ribbed externally with branching veins,
which run up from the short, pitted and hollow stem; mouth somewhat
contracted; light umber without and darker within. Found on the ground
in the spring.
_Peziza badia. Pers._
LARGE BROWN PEZIZA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 427.--Peziza badia.]
Gregarious in its habits; sessile, or narrowed into a very short stout
stem, more or less pitted; nearly round and closed at first, then
expanded until cup-shaped; margin at first involute; externally covered
with a frost-like bloom; disk darker than the external surface, very
changeable in color; lobes more or less split and wavy, somewhat thick;
spore-sacs cylindrical, apex truncante, sporidia oblong-ovate, epispore
rough, 8-spored. Found on the ground in the grass or by the roadside in
open woods. I found my first specimens in a clearing at Salem, but I
have since found it at several points in the state. It should be fresh
when eaten.
_Peziza coccinea. Jacq._
THE CARMINE PEZIZA.
[Illustration: Figure 428.--Peziza coccinea. One-third natural size.]
Coccinea means scarlet or crimson. Usually growing two or three on the
same stick, the color is a very pure and beautiful scarlet, attractive
to children; school children frequently bring me specimens, curious to
know what they are. Specimens not large, disk clear and pure carmine
within, externally white, as is the stem; tomentose, with short,
adpressed down; sporidia oblong, 8-spored. It is readily recognized by
the pure carmine disk and whitish tomentose exterior. It is found in
damp woods on decayed sticks, being very common all over the state.
_Peziza odorata. Pk._
THE ODOROUS PEZIZA. EDIBLE.
Gregarious in its habits. Cup yellowish, sessile, translucent, becoming
dull brown when old, brittle when fresh, flesh moist and watery; the
frame of the cup is separable into two layers; the outer one is rough,
while the inner one is smooth. The disk is yellowish-brown. The asci are
cylindrical, opening by a lid. On ground in cellars, about barns and
outbuildings. A very beautiful cluster grew upon a water-bucket in my
stable. The cups were quite large, two and a half to three inches
across. Its odor is distinctive. It is very similar to Peziza Petersii
from which it is distinguished by its larger spores and peculiar odor.
Found in May and June.
_Peziza Stevensoni._
[Illustration: Figure 429.--Peziza Stevensoni.]
This plant is sessile or nearly so, growing on the ground in dense
clusters. The specimens in Figure 429 grew in Dr. Chas. Miesse's cellar,
in Chillicothe. They grow quite large at times; are ovate, externally
grayish-white, covered with a minute down or tomentum, internally
reddish-brown, the rim of the cup finely serrated, as will be seen in
the figure below. They are found from May to July.
_Peziza semitosta._
[Illustration: Figure 430.--Peziza semitosta.]
Semitosta, from its scorched appearance, or umber-like color.
The cup is one to one and a half inches across, hemispherical,
hirsute-velvety without, date-brown within; margin indexed.
The stem is ribbed or wrinkled. Sporidia are subfusiform, .00117 inch
long.
These plants are found on the ground in damp places. It was formerly
called Peziza semitosta or Sarcoscypha semitosta. The plants in Figure
430 were found in August or September on the north side of the Edinger
Hill, near Chillicothe, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. No doubt
edible, but the writer has not tried them. This is called Macropodia
semitosta.
_Peziza aurantia. Fr._
ORANGE-GROUND PEZIZA. EDIBLE.
Aurantia means orange color.
Subsessile, irregular, oblique, externally somewhat pruinose, whitish.
The sporidia are elliptic, rough.
Found on the ground in damp woods. The cups are often quite large and
very irregular. Found in August and September.
_Peziza repanda. Wahl._
[Illustration: Figure 431.--Peziza repanda.]
Repanda means bent backward. These plants are found in dark moist woods,
growing on old, wet logs, or in well wooded earth. The cups are
clustered or scattered, subsessile, contracted into a short, stout,
stem-like base. When very small they appear like a tiny white knot on
the surface of the log. This grows, so that soon a hollow sphere with an
opening at the top is produced. The plant now begins to expand and
flatten, producing an irregular, flattened disk with small upturned
edges. The margin often becomes split and wavy, sometimes drooping and
revolute; disk pale or dark brown, more or less wrinkled toward the
center; externally the cup is a scurvy-white. The asci are 8-spored,
quite large. The paraphyses are few, short, separate, clavate, and
brownish at the tips. The spores are elliptical, thin-walled, hyaline,
non-nucleate, 14x9u.
Found from May to October. Edible.
_Peziza vesiculosa. Bull._
THE BLADDERY PEZIZA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 432.--Peziza vesiculosa.]
Often in thick clusters. Those in the center are frequently distorted by
mutual pressure; large, entire, sessile, at first globose; closed at
first, then expanding; the margin of the cup more or less incurved,
sometimes slightly notched; disk pallid-brown, externally; surface is
covered with a coarsely granular or warty substance which plainly shows
in the photograph. The hymenium is generally separable from the
substance of the cap. The spores are smooth, transparent, continuous,
elliptical, ends obtuse.
They are found on dung-hills, hot-beds or wherever the ground has been
strongly fertilized and contains the necessary moisture. This is an
interesting plant and often found in large numbers. Vesicolosa means
full of bladders, as the picture will suggest.
I found a very nice cluster on the 25th of April, 1904, in my stable.
_Peziza scutellata. Linn._
THE SHIELD-LIKE PEZIZA.
[Illustration: Figure 433.--Peziza scutellata. Very small but will show
form under the glass.]
Becoming plane, vermillion-red, externally paler, hispid towards the
margin with straight black hairs. Spores ellipsoid. Found on damp rotten
logs from July to October. Very plentiful and very pretty under the
magnifying glass.
_Peziza tuberosa. Bull._
THE TUBEROUS PEZIZA.
[Illustration: Figure 434.--Peziza tuberosa. Natural size.]
Tuberosa, furnished with a tuber or sclerotium. The cup is thin,
infundibuliform, bright brown, turning pale.
The stem is elongated, springing from an irregular black tuber, called
sclerotium. The stems run deep into the earth and are attached to a
sclerotium, which will be seen in the halftone. Many fungus plants have
learned to store up fungus starch for the new plant.
The sporidia are oblong-ellipsoid, simple. It is called by some authors
Sclerotinia tuberosa. It grows on the ground in the spring and may be
known by its bright brown color and its stem running deep into the earth
and attached to a tuber.
_Peziza hemispherica. Wigg._
Sessile, hemispherical, waxy, externally brownish, clothed with dense,
fasciculate hairs; disk glaucous-white. This is called by Gillet Lachnea
hemispherica. The cups are small, varying much in color and the sporidia
are ellipsoidal. They are found on the ground in September and October.
Found in Poke Hollow.
_Peziza leporina. Batsch._
Substipitate, elongated on one side, ear-shaped, subferruginous
externally, farinose internally; base even. It is sometimes cinereous or
yellowish. Sporidia ellipsoidal. This is called frequently Otidea
leporina, (Batsch.) Fckl. It is found on the ground in the woods during
September and October. Found in Poke Hollow.
_Peziza venosa. P._
This plant is saucer-shaped, sometimes many inches broad; sessile,
somewhat twisted, dark umber, white beneath, wrinkled with rib-like
veins. Odor often strong. Found growing on the ground in leaf mold.
Found in the spring, about the last of April, in James Dunlap's woods,
near Chillicothe. This is also called Discina venosa, Suec.
_Peziza floccosa. Schw._
[Illustration: Figure 435.--Peziza floccosa. Natural size.]
This is a beautiful plant growing upon partially decayed logs. I have
always found it upon hickory logs. The cap is cup-shaped, very much like
a beaker. The stem is long and slender, rather woolly; the rim of the
cap is fringed with long, strigose hairs. The inner surface of the cup
represents the spore-bearing portion.
The inside and the rim of the cup are very beautiful, being variegated
with deep scarlet and white. Also called Sarcoscypha floccosa.
The plant is found from June to September.
_Peziza occidentalis._
[Illustration: Figure 436.--Peziza occidentalis. Natural size.]
This is another very showy plant, quite equal in attractiveness to P.
floccosa and P. coccinea.
The cup is infundibuliform, the outside as well as the stem whitish, and
downy, the bowl or disk is reddish-orange. This is known by some authors
as Sarcoscypha occidentalis. It grows on rotten sticks upon the ground.
May and June.
_Peziza nebulosa. Cooke._
[Illustration: Figure 437.--Peziza nebulosa.]
Nebulosa means cloudy or dark, from _nebula_, a cloud; from its color.
Ascophore stipitate, rather fleshy, closed at first, then cup-shaped,
becoming somewhat plane, the margin slightly incurved, externally pilose
or downy, pale gray or sometimes quite dark.
Asci are cylindrical; spores spindle-shaped, straight or bow-shaped,
rough, 35-8; paraphyses thread-shaped.
These plants are found on decayed stumps or logs in the wood. The woods
where I have found them have been rather dense and damp. The plants in
Figure 437 were found in Haynes' Hollow and photographed by Dr.
Kellerman.
_Urnula craterium. (Schw.) Fr._
[Illustration: Figure 438.--Urnula craterium. Two-thirds natural size.]
Urnula means burned; craterium means a small crater; hence the
translation is a burned-out crater, which will appear to the student as
a very appropriate name. It is a very common and conspicuous
Ascomycetous, or cup fungus, growing in clusters on rotten sticks that
lie in moist places. When the plants first appear they are small, black
stems with scarcely any evidence of a cup. In a short time the end of
the stem shows evidence of enlargement, showing lines of separation on
the top. It soon opens and we have the cup as you see it in Figure 438.
The hymenium, or spore bearing surface, is the interior wall of the cup.
The cup is lined inside with a palisade of long cylindrical sacs, each
containing eight spores with a small amount of liquid. These sacs are at
right angles to the inner surface, and are provided with lids similar to
that of a coffee-pot; at maturity the lid is forced open and the spores
are shot out of these sacs, and, by jarring the fungus when it is ready
to make the discharge, they can be seen as a little cloud an inch or two
above the cup. Place a small slip of glass over the cup and you will see
spores in groups of eight in very small drops of liquid on the glass.
This species appears in April and May, and is certainly a very
interesting plant. It is called by some Peziza craterium, Schw.
_Helotium. Fr._
Disc always open, at first punctiform, then dilated, convex or concave,
naked. Excipulum waxy, free, marginate, externally naked.
_Helotium citrinum. Fr._
LEMON-COLORED HELOTIUM.
[Illustration: Figure 439.--Helotium citrinum. Disc-fungus, yellow
growing on rotten logs. Slightly magnified.]
This is a beautiful little Disc-fungus, yellow, growing upon rotten logs
in damp woods. They often grow in dense clusters; a beautiful
lemon-yellow, the head being plane or concave, with a short, thick,
paler stem, forming an inverted cone. Asci elongated, narrowly
cylindrical, attenuated at the base into a long, slender, crooked
pedicel, 8-spored.
Sporidia oblong, elliptical, with two or three minute nuclei.
This is quite a common plant in our woods during wet weather or in damp
places, growing upon old logs and stumps, in woods, in the fall. Figure
439 will give an idea of their appearance when in dense clusters. The
plants photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
_Helotium lutescens. Fr._
YELLOWISH HELOTIUM.
Lutescens means yellowish. The plants are small, sessile, or attached by
a very short stem; closed at first, then expanding until nearly plane;
disk yellow, smooth; asci clavate, 8 spored; spores hyaline, smooth.
Gregarious or scattered. Found on half-decayed branches.
_Helotium aeruginosum. Fr._
THE GREEN HELOTIUM.
AEruginosum means verdigris-green. Gregarious or scattered, staining the
wood on which they grow to a deep verdigris-green; ascophore at first
turbinate and closed, then expanding, the margin usually wavy and more
or less irregular; flexible, glabrous, even, somewhat contracted, and
minutely wrinkled when dry; every part a deep verdigris-green, the disc
often becoming paler with a tinge of tan color; 1-4 mm. across;
stem 1-3 mm. long, expanding into the ascophore; hypothecium
and excipulum formed of interlaced, hyaline hyphae, 3-4u. thick,
these becoming stouter and colored green in the cortex; asci narrowly
cylindric-clavate, apex slightly narrowed, 8-spored; spores irregularly
2-seriate, hyaline or with a slight tinge of green, very narrowly
cylindric-fusiform, straight or curved, 10-14x2.5-3.5u. 2-gutullate,
or with several minute green oil globules; paraphyses slender, with a
tinge of green at the tip. _Massee._
Massee calls this Chlorosplenium aeruginosum, De Not. It is quite common
on oak branches, staining to a deep green the wood upon which it grows.
It is widely distributed, specimens having been sent me from as far east
as Massachusetts. The mycelium-stains in the wood are met more
frequently than the fruit.
_Bulgaria. Fr._
Bulgaria--probably first found in that principality.
Receptacle orbicular, then truncate, glutinous within, at first closed;
hymenium even, persistent, smooth.
_Bulgaria inquinans. Fr._
THE BLACKISH BULGARIA.
[Illustration: Figure 440.--Bulgaria inquinans. Two-thirds natural
size.]
Inquinans means befouling or polluting; so called because of the
blackish, gelatinous coating of the cap.
Receptacle orbicular, closed at first, then opening, forming a cup, as
shown on the right in Figure 440; disk or cup becoming plane; black,
sometimes becoming lacunose; tough, elastic, gelatinous, dark-brown, or
chocolate, almost black, wrinkled, and rough externally; stem very
short, almost obsolete; cup light umber; sporidia large, elliptical,
brown.
This plant is quite plentiful in some localities near Chillicothe. It is
found in woods, on oak trunks or limbs partially decayed.